Taiwanese compete in online game for US$1m

‘TAIPEI ASSASSINS’:：The team is guaranteed at least US$250,000 after making it to the ‘League of Legends’ final, after failing to even qualify only two months ago

Staff writer with CNA, LOS ANGELES

Fri, Oct 12, 2012 - Page 4

A Taiwanese team are poised to win at least US$250,000 in an international online video game competition, with a chance to win US$1 million, as they defeated defending champions Moscow 5 to advance to the finals on Wednesday in the US.

The Taipei Assassins compete tomorrow against Azubu Frost of South Korea in the finals of the League of Legends Season 2 World Championship for a top prize of US$1 million. The runner-up will win US$250,000.

The Taipei Assassins came from behind to win 2-1 after losing the first game.

They beat Moscow 5, a Russian eSports organization who won the Season 1 competition, in two straight games.

After the team’s first loss, everyone threw caution to the wind and managed to produce their best performance, said one of the Taiwanese players, known as Toyz.

The handling of the start of the games was excellent and the team’s composure was great, he said.

It was a major achievement by every member of the Taiwanese team to defeat Moscow 5, a strong team with creative tactics, after months of intensive practice and discussion, Taipei Assassins leader MiSTakE said.

He said the Taipei Assassins have improved tremendously, since they did not even qualify for the world championship two months ago.

Twelve teams from around the world are competing in the League of Legends championships in Los Angeles for total prize money of US$2 million.

The game, developed and published by Riot Games for Microsoft Windows, is based on the popular Defense of the Ancients map in Warcraft III.